Pill dispensing container

ABSTRACT

Pill dispensing container with an outer housing, a pill holding chamber, a pill pulling member, a pill catch cup, an activation button, a vertical activation arm, a vertical locking post, a horizontal locking pin, a locking spring, a pill push spring, and a pill chamber closure. Pills are stacked in the chamber and held by the spring and closure cap. The user presses on the activation button causing the pinned activation arm to rotate and causing the pill pulling member to slide one pill over so that can exit through an aperture in the housing bottom. The locking pin prevents accidental dispensing. The pill drops into the catch cup which can be tilted to let the pill fall into the user&#39;s hand.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of pill containers and more specifically to a dispensing pill container.

Pills are commonly taken for medical purposes as prescribed by a physician. Some pills, for example nitroglycerin pills, are quite small in size and must be taken at the first sign of heart palpitations that could lead to a heart attack. During such a high anxiety moment, it is difficult for a person to deal with opening a small bottle and dispensing one tiny pill.

To facilitate this potentially life saving activity, it would be helpful for the user to have a pill bottle that is capable of quickly and easily, in a one handed manner, dispensing a single pill. Additionally it would be desirable to have a lock out mechanism that prevents accidental dispensing or dispensing by a young child.

Dispensing containers for pills and candy are known. These include patents:

-   U.S. Pat. No. 2,705,576 -   U.S. Pat. No. 2,718,299 -   U.S. Pat. No. 2,893,599 -   U.S. Pat. No. 2,962,190 -   U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,308 -   U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,203 -   U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,113 -   and U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,299

However, none of the patents sited above as prior art include the unique and novel design that includes the combined features of one handed operation, a lock out feature and an integral pill catch cup that lets the user accurately dispense a pill into the catch cup and then into his or her hand from any pouring angle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the invention is to provide a pill container that allows the user to dispense one pill at a time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pill container that can be operated with one hand.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pill container that requires the user to use an unlocking mechanism before a pill can be dispensed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pill container that dispenses a single pill into an open topped cup making it easier and more reliable to pour the pill into the user's hand.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a pill dispensing container comprising: an outer housing, a pill holding chamber, a pill pulling member, a pill catch cup, an activation button, a vertical activation arm, a vertical locking post, a horizontal locking pin, a locking spring, a pill push spring and a pill chamber closure; said pill holding chamber terminating on one end in said pill chamber closure and on the other end in said pill pulling member, said pill holding chamber being sized to hold a single vertical stack of pills downwardly retained by said pill push spring, said pill push spring located above said stack of pills and below said pill chamber closure, said activation bottom fixedly attached to the top portion of said vertical activation arm, said vertical activation arm rotatably pinned at its half way point to adjacent walls of said outer housing, said pill pulling member hingedly attached at one end to said vertical activation arm forming an L shape, said pill pulling member terminating at its opposite end in a J shape, said housing having a bottom plate the includes a pill shaped aperture located to one side of said pill chamber, said bottom plate including a centrally located downwardly disposed cup holding post, said cup holding post terminating at its opposite end to the bottom of said pill catching cup, the lip of the side walls of said pill catching cup and the bottom surface of said housing bottom forming a pill dispensing gap, said horizontal locking pin fixedly attached to the side wall of said vertical locking post, said vertical locking post held in an upward orientation by said locking spring, said housing including an aperture in its side wall that is in alignment with said horizontal locking pin when said vertical locking post is pushed down by said user, so that when a user presses on the top of said vertical locking post, said horizontal locking pin lowers and comes into alignment with said aperture allowing the user to push in on said activation button, and said pushing motion causing said vertical activation arm to rotate about a shaft and causing the pill pulling member to slide outwards, thereby causing said J shaped end to pull a single pill to one side so that it is in alignment with said bottom aperture, allowing said pill to drop down to said pill catching cup.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a side section view of the invention in the standby position.

FIG. 5 is a side section view of the invention in the dispense position.

FIG. 7 is a side section view of the invention in the tilted pill drop position.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the dispensing arm in the standby positron.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the dispensing arm in the dispensing position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.

Referring now to FIG. 1 we see a perspective view of the present invention 100. A housing 2 is cylindrical in shape. The top portion of a lock release post 6 can be seen protruding from an aperture in the top of the housing. A pill chamber closure cap 4 can also be seen. Along the outside wall of the housing, an activation button 8 and vertical activation post 10 can be seen. A downwardly disposed centrally located post 12 can be seen which holds cup portion 14 to the underside of housing 2. A gap can be seen between the top lip of cup portion 14 and the bottom of housing 2.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the invention showing the elements described above.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the invention showing the elements described above.

FIG. 4 is a side section view vertically bisecting the invention in the standby position. This is the normal position of the invention when pills are not being dispensed. This view shows the internal workings of the invention 100. A stack of pills 24 is vertically retained within pill retaining chamber 25. The pills are held down by compression spring 30 and retained by closure cap 4. Vertical activation post 10 is pinned by shaft 18 making it capable of rotating about the shaft 18. Push button 8 is fixedly attached to vertical activation post 10. When a user tries to push in on button 8 he or she is prevented from doing so because vertical locking pin 28 abuts the inside wall of housing 2. In order to allow button 8 to be pressed in it is necessary for the user to press down on locking release post 6, causing the locking pin 28 to move downward and be aligned with an aperture 34 in the side wall of housing 2. Activation post 10 can now be pushed in as shown in FIG. 5. This action causes horizontal pill pulling member 26, which is pinned to activation post 10, to slide to the right, pulling with it a single pill 40. Pill 40 is now positioned directly over aperture 22 allowing it to fall down into cup member 14 as shown in FIG. 6. Dotted line 42 indicates the trajectory of pill 40.

FIG. 7 shows a section view of the invention after the user has released the activation button 8 and locking release post 6. The springs 32 and 54 have automatically returned the button 8 and lock release post 6 to their normal standby position. This view shows the action of a person tilting the container 100 and pouring the pill 40 out of cup 14 through the gap between the cup lip and the bottom surface of housing 2 as shown by trajectory dotted line 44. The cup shape 14 allows the user to pour the pill out in any convenient direction with relation to his awaiting hand. The addition of the cup shape 14 means that the user knows precisely where the pill is prior to pouring into the other hand for ingestion into the mouth and body. This is extremely helpful when dealing with a very small pill such as nitroglycerin pill. The container 100 is now ready to dispense the next pill when needed. The pill dispensing operation can be done with one hand. The thumb presses on the locking release post top 6 and the forefinger presses on the activation button 8, keeping the second hand free for receiving the pill 40 after it is poured from cup 14.

FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the pill pulling member 26 as defined by section line 16 shown in FIG. 3. This view shows the J hook 46 portion of the pulling member 26 that retains pill 40. The pill 40 can not fall down into cup 14 until the pulling member 26 is slid to the right and aligns with aperture 22 as shown in FIG. 9 and described in detail above.

In the above described and illustrated way, the present invention 100 provides an easy, safe and quick way for a person to have access to a single pill when needed. Additionally, the pill can not be accidentally dispensed until the user activates a locking release mechanism.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

1. pill dispensing container comprising: an outer housing; a pill holding chamber, a pill pulling member, a pill catch cup; an activation button; a vertical activation arm; a vertical locking post; a horizontal locking pin; a locking spring; a pill push spring; a pill chamber closure; said pill holding chamber terminating on one end in said pill chamber closure and on the other end in said pill pulling member; said pill holding chamber being sized to hold a single vertical stack of pills downwardly retained by said pill push spring; said pill push spring located above said stack of pills and below said pill chamber closure; said activation bottom fixedly attached to the top portion of said vertical activation arm; said vertical activation arm rotatably pinned at its half way point by a shaft to adjacent walls of said outer housing; said pill pulling member hingedly attached at one end to said vertical activation arm forming an L shape; said pill pulling member terminating at its opposite end in a J shape; said housing having a bottom plate the includes a pill shaped aperture located to one side of said pill chamber; said bottom plate including a centrally located downwardly disposed cup holding post; said cup holding post terminating at its opposite end to the inside bottom of said pill catching cup; the lip of the side walls of said pill catching cup and the under surface of said housing bottom forming a pill dispensing gap; said horizontal locking pin fixedly attached to the side wall of said vertical locking post; said vertical locking post held in an upwardly biased orientation by said locking spring; said housing including an aperture in its side wall that is in alignment with said horizontal locking pin when said vertical locking post is pushed down by said user; so that when a user presses on the top of said vertical locking post, said horizontal locking pin lowers and comes into alignment with said allowing the user to push in on said activation button; and said pushing motion causing said vertical activation arm to rotate and causing said pill pulling member to slide outwards, thereby causing said J shaped end to pull a single pill to one side so that it is in alignment with said bottom aperture, allowing said pill to drop down to said pill catching cup.
 2. Pill dispensing container as claimed in claim 1 wherein after said pill has dropped into said pill catching cup said user can tilt said cup in any direction to cause said pill to be released through said gap between said housing bottom and said cup lip.
 3. Pill dispensing container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said user can press said locking post with his thumb and press said activation button with his forefinger creating a one handed operation.
 4. Pill dispensing container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said locking pin prevents the accidental dispensing of said pills. 